Coastal Taco in the Flats to Reopen as Lindey’s Lake House this Spring

Coastal Taco quietly closed its doors on the last day of the year. But the Flats-based eatery will reopen this spring under a different moniker and with a more broadly appealing menu, according to owner Rick Doody.

Since opening the beachy taqueria almost three years ago, Doody came to the realization that there’s more to life than just tacos. This past November, Doody opened Lindey’s Lake House next door to his popular Beachwood restaurant Cedar Creek Grille, and he has been so pleased with the reception that he is expanding the concept downtown.

“We’re trying to build a brand in Cleveland,” he says. “People love the vibe of Coastal Taco, the bar-centricness of the place, but you’ve got to have more than just tacos these days.”

Currently, work is being done to convert Coastal Taco into a Lindey’s Lake House, a casual but fashionable setting that conjures images of the Hamptons, Cape Cod or Michigan’s Walloon Lake, a destination that holds a special place in Doody’s heart.

“We’re trying to kick it up a notch, to get rid of some of the hokeyness,” Doody says. “A place where you’re willing to spend $20 instead of $3 for a taco.”

The new Lake House décor will up the comfort factor with more booths, better furniture, enhanced lighting and a fresh coat of white paint. In terms of food, diners can expect most of the items from the Beachwood location supplemented with some of the most popular items from the adjacent Cedar Creek Grille. On the bill of fare will be small plates, salads, tacos, flatbreads and entrees such as fried chicken, fish and chips, cedar-planked salmon and steak frites.

“It’s like the best of both worlds,” Doody notes.

The decision to transform Coastal Taco into Lindey’s Lake House will end up pushing back another project that Doody currently is undertaking. Lindey’s Lake Bar, a more casual spin-off of the Lake House brand, is presently taking shape in the former Jammy Buggars space (15625 Detroit Avenue) in Lakewood. But for now, it’s all hands on deck downtown.

“It’s more important to open in the Flats and get our feet wet,” says Doody, adding that the goal is to get that open by late April or early May.

Doody describes Lindey’s Lake Bar as an extension of the fizzy bar scene at Lindey’s Lake House.

“Lindey’s Lake Bar will be a big version of the bar at Lindey’s Lake House in Beachwood,” he explains. “We’re going to expand that portion, with bar seating, lots of bar-height tables, a big bar in the middle of the restaurant and an open kitchen.”

When it does open this year, diners can expect a menu populated with small plates, pizzas, tacos and only a handful of entrees.